1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video signal output device provided with a video signal conversion circuit that converts a video signal inputted from an apparatus for reproducing a hard disk, a DVD (digital versatile disc), or the like, into an interlaced video signal or a progressive video signal, and a video output circuit that outputs the video signal converted by the video signal conversion circuit to a display device such as a television receiver or a monitor.
2. Description of Related Art
The widespread use of apparatuses for reproducing a hard disk, a DVD, or the like makes it possible to digitally record a large amount of video signals and reproduce video of higher quality than that of a conventional video tape. These reproducing apparatuses are connected to a television receiver or a monitor so as to display video thereon. However, since conventional display devices adopt interlacing to display video, the quality of the video displayed thereby tends to deteriorate. In interlacing, one frame of video consists of 525 scan lines, which are divided into two fields, namely an odd field and an even field, to display video. This causes flicker or other problems.
To deal with such problems, progressive scan that displays one frame of video at one time has been developed and put into practical use. Thus, by displaying a video signal of the reproducing apparatus with a television receiver or a monitor adopting progressive scan, it is possible to offer high quality video without flicker.
Disadvantageously, in a case where the reproducing apparatus is connected to a television receiver or a monitor that supports only interlacing, and then a video signal is outputted therefrom in a progressive manner, the video becomes distorted and is not displayed normally. To address this disadvantage, the reproducing apparatus incorporates a video signal output device that makes it possible to output a video signal in both interlaced and progressive manners, allowing the television receiver or the monitor that adopts interlacing to display video normally.
However, since the television receiver or the monitor that adopts progressive scan can display an interlaced video signal as well as a progressive video signal, even when the user selects interlacing in screen setting, the television receiver or the monitor displays video without utilizing its original function, progressive scan. In such a case, although the television receiver or the monitor adopts progressive scan, the user is not allowed to enjoy high quality video because progressive scan is not selected.
JP-A-2004-356688 discloses a video signal output device wherein, when an item “Output Setting” in a menu screen displayed on a television receiver is selected by the user (operator), an output setting screen is displayed on the television receiver. If “Progressive Output” is selected in the output setting screen within, for example, 10 seconds, video display in a progressive manner is made possible in a television receiver adopting progressive scan, and, if no selection is made after a lapse of 10 seconds, “Interlaced Output” is automatically selected, and video display is made possible in both a television receiver adopting progressive scan and a television receiver adopting interlacing. In a case where a television receiver adopting interlacing is connected to the video signal output device, if “Progressive Output” is selected in the output setting screen, the screen loses its normal display and a confirmation screen is not displayed normally, making it impossible to press a confirmation key. After a lapse of 10 seconds, switching to interlacing is automatically performed.
When a reproducing apparatus incorporating such a conventional video signal output device is used for the first time, it is connected to a television receiver or a monitor and is then turned on, and then interlacing/progressive setting is performed in television screen setting. However, in this case, the user has to perform interlacing/progressive setting not through a dialog but through complicated and time-consuming operations such as operating a remote control to cause a television receiver or a monitor to display a menu screen and then performing interlacing/progressive setting. In addition, the conventional technique disclosed in JP-A-2004-356688 does not give any description about aspect ratio setting, making it impossible to set an aspect ratio in television screen setting.
Another conventional technique disclosed in JP-A-2003-153115 optimizes OSD (on-screen display) screen display data generated and outputted by a video device according to an aspect ratio of a video display device when the setting of the aspect ratio of the video display device or the video display device itself is changed, and does not give any description about aspect ratio setting in television screen setting.